2 Advanced Highers and 2 Highers or 3 Advanced Highers?

I am planning to study physics at university. I wasn't too sure if I should do a 2 Advanced Highers and 2 Highers or 3 Advanced Highers.

The choices:

Three Advanced Highers
Advanced Higher Physics
Advanced Higher Computing Science
Advanced Higher Maths

Two:Two Ratio Choice
Advanced Higher Physics
Advanced Higher Computing Science
Higher Chemistry
Higher Human Bio

Can someone explain why one choice may be more beneficial than the other?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1

username738914

Original post by Higherdude

Go with the three AHs, that's what I'm doing now. I envy your choices so much, I wish French was my Higher and Computing was my AH but alas, nope.

Plus, the AH Maths, Phys and Comp combo is awesome for a computer science, maths or physics course at uni, it also leaves English unis as an option (what I'm doing).

Just be weary of the heavy coursework involved in Physics and Computing - it can really eat up your time.

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Reply 2

CSM1996

Contrary to popular belief on TSR you do not need to do 3 advanced highers to make you any more prepped for uni... doing 3 you will have a tonne of coursework and studying to be done throughout the year when you are wanting a relaxing 6th year (which I wish I had done at the start of the year). If you're applying to Scottish universities then there isn't really any need to do the 3 advanced highers unless you want to push yourself!

I started off the year doing two advanced highers and a higher and by the time January came I wasn't really enjoying my sixth year and dropped a subject and the year became so much better for me!

Although you will get a lot of people not agreeing with me on taking the easy route on here, so do what YOU want and not what you think other people think you should do. It is your final year at school after all :smile:

EDIT: sorry I forgot to put that I'm a first year maths student at uni and I'm not struggling with the work load or anything having doing 2 subjects in 6th year... while at school all my teachers said I wouldn't cope with the workload

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3

immie7

Personally, I'm doing 3 advanced highers this year (bio, chem, french) and its a lot of work since the sciences involve investigations which take up lots of time and effort. Most scottish unis are fine with 2 advanced highers and 1 higher, but if you think you can cope with the extra work, go for it!

Reply 4

gwagon

3 AH. I plan on taking your exact three advanced highers. Don't listen to that guy above. The effort you put in should be consistent. Sixth year is not some sort of vacation.

Reply 5

Pennyarcade

Original post by gwagon

3 AH. I plan on taking your exact three advanced highers. Don't listen to that guy above. The effort you put in should be consistent. Sixth year is not some sort of vacation.

Get friends.

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Reply 6

CSM1996

Original post by gwagon

3 AH. I plan on taking your exact three advanced highers. Don't listen to that guy above. The effort you put in should be consistent. Sixth year is not some sort of vacation.

Considering ive had first hand experience in doing my subjects and coping I think hes alright doing 1 or 2! Everyone who done 3 advanced highers in my school suffered either grade wise or mentally due to the amount of stress. Its not worth it when you dont need it...

Reply 7

Ecasx

Original post by CSM1996

I'm doing 4. Haven't dropped from A's so far. Really quite happy too if I'm honest.

Reply 8

CSM1996

Original post by Ecasx

I'm doing 4. Haven't dropped from A's so far. Really quite happy too if I'm honest.

But thats one exception, there will not be many people in your shoes

Reply 9

gwagon

Obviously if you are predicted Bs and Cs, DO NOT take three AHs. I would only recommend it for people with four/five As in Higher.

Reply 10

gwagon

Original post by Pennyarcade

Get friends.

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Coming from a guy who has 1800 posts posts on TSR....jus sayin

Reply 11

gwagon

Original post by CSM1996

Wrong. Think bigger. You cannot generalise based on the results of your school. Think about the other schools that have much smarter or less smarter pupils. Some English universities require three advanced highers minimum(Imperial, LSE...).

Reply 12

username738914

Original post by gwagon

Obviously if you are predicted Bs and Cs, DO NOT take three AHs. I would only recommend it for people with four/five As in Higher.

Not true.

I had some extenuating circumstances (relative passed away during exams) which led to me getting ABBCC.

I took the BCC part to Advanced Higher (French, Maths and Physics) and in the prelims: for Maths I beat someone who got 6 As last year (got 71%), in physics I beat the other two who got Bs last year (I got 69% they got a D and a C respectively) and in French I'm on a B.

So I've gone from BCC at higher to ABB at Advanced Higher - aiming for A band 1, A band 1, B.

Also doing another Higher in computing this year (97% in the prelim)

So, as long as people are ready to put in effort 3 AHs will be fine.

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Reply 13

Ecasx

Original post by CSM1996

But thats one exception, there will not be many people in your shoes

But there are - and it would be a shame if they didn't even attempt 3-4 AHs due to people, less capable than them, being discouraging from the get-go. I mean, I for one would be quite scared reading the fact that, apparently, people in your school either did badly in their subjects or took the toll mentally.

Reply 14

Asklepios

If you want to do physics at uni, then do AH maths and AH physics. H chemistry will be very useful as well. AH computing and H human will be slightly useful, equally so.

AH are good for depth over breadth, but since you don't have much any Highers in sciences apart from physics, breadth could be useful for you. Keep in mind, as you get to a higher university level, science will become more interdisciplinary.

Reply 15

Ecasx

Original post by Princepieman

I agree with him. Someone without at least 4 A's isn't likely to cope with 3 Advanced Highers.

You said it yourself, you had 'extenuating circumstances'. Clearly you do have the intelligence.

Reply 16

username738914

Original post by Ecasx

I agree with him. Someone without at least 4 A's isn't likely to cope with 3 Advanced Highers.

You said it yourself, you had 'extenuating circumstances'. Clearly you do have the intelligence.

Fair enough.

lol, my teachers didn't think that in the beginning - even got kicked out of the physics course for 3 weeks at the start of term. Fought my way back in and i'm laughing at the same teachers now.